Roundabout take 2
*Zack was always a calm guy; never one to shout or over react or the like. He was praised by parental figures for being well behaved and loved by friends for being a good listener. He wasn't the most intelligent guy, but by no means dumb. He worked hard for every grade he got or didn't try at all and poked just above average. He was no Einstein but he got by. *
His flat, almost boring aura was complimented currently by a pair of hand-me-down khakis he got from a thrift shop, and a faded blue button down. He was sticking out like a sore thumb at a club with one plastic cup in hand and one one friend in tote.
The Coyote, Austin, had been his friend since middle-school when all the two gamer-nerds had were each other. It was an odd friendship that neither could seem to get sick of; although tonight Austin was pushing that limit as far as it could go.
Zack enjoyed a good party, a social occasion to let go for a bit. The Coyote loved to drink before he got too social, and after that get go WAY too social. It happened the same every night, he would make promises and plans to stay ahead of his lightweight curve and beat the drinking system. This time it was the promise of plenty of water with his beverage, the look on his excited face told Zack the canine thought he had struck gold with his revolutionary idea. It was so brilliant he could write a book about it and it was a shame no one thought of it before!
*What Austin always failed to realize was that 5 shots in 45 minutes was still 5 shots, and before the two hour mark you shouldn't be contemplating an 8th water or not. All the dog really did was speed up the breaking of the proverbial bladder seal. The human rolled his eyes at his intoxicated friends slurs. *
"Come on! Buddy buddy buddy you gotta find a guy." the dog shook his head slowly and awkwardly, his upper body swaying into it. "You gotta get fucked, or fuck, or whatever it is you do." he snickered, slamming both paws on the bar with a loud slap that could hardly be distinguished from the bass vibrating through the air. "Oh man, I know I say this all the time, but you have to put out there."
*The tan canine giggled and looked down at his polo, some fruity tasting something had dripped off his muzzle onto the collar. He was in khaki shorts and a polo, both from some name brand place Zack refused to spend a single dollar in. Then, like clockwork, Austin threw himself smiling and laughing at Zack with lips puckered and tongue lulling out just behind them. *
*Zack would have been horrified had it not happened almost every time they went out together. Even though Austin always found a ride to some new adventure, and always made it home in one piece with a story to tell, he always started off the hormone induced frenzy with Zack. *
*"Ahh come 'er! Just once let me..." he trailed off, Zack easily keeping him at bay. Where Austin had remained lithe in his teen years, Zack had mercifully thinned out and developed a natural muscle. It wasn't anything impressive or gym worthy, but it was something he didn't have to think turned people off. *
*"Just once and i'll never try again I promise." Austin practically begged. Again, Zack had flashbacks to all the other such promises at all the other clubs. In their first few years in the club scene, when it was a religion more than a weekly or monthly event, Zack had taken him up on such offers a handful of times. There was some sort of thrill he found in something so seemingly foreign. You dont just make out with your best friend and Zack found some kind of thrill in that at some point. *
*At the moment, it seemed more annoying than adrenaline rushing. Although it smelled sweet, there was definitely a bitter air on his breath. Although that might have just as easily been the smoke machines, sweat and hormones flying around them. *
"You promised that last time." Zack said, unable to entirely suppress a grin. "I'm flattered by the way."
"Than accept the flattery!" attempt two was just as easily foiled. Zack counted down the moments until...
*Austin huffed, glaring at his friend with a childish pout. *
....just a moment longer....
"Fine! I'll find my own ride home!"
*Zack sipped at his beer, contemplating the repetitive ultimatum. "You can do better than me anyhow." he finally said. *
Austin was visibly shocked. "Wow! Thanks asshole! Dont mind little old me, walking off with the first sexy stranger I see who buys me a drink."
*A tall horse sitting just beside them at the bar dropped a colorful test tube into Austins paws. "Is that a promise?" his deep voice rang even in the full club. *
*Austin was more surprised by the drink suddenly appearing. He looked shocked and horrified that the stranger was listening in, but it melted away and his eyes got tracing up and down the athletic looking stud. *
"That depends." Austin switched from angry to flirt faster than anyone the human had ever met. His voice was instantly lowered to an alluring volume and he spoke with just enough finesse in his stupor to not seem entirely useless. "Do you have a car? I don't really do late night cabs."
*Zack rolled his eyes and went back to looking over across the floor of club Echo. Austin could play up a game all he wanted (and he often did) but that tan mutt had done raunchier things than take a cab with a stranger. Or screw a stranger in a cab. Or screw a stranger and the driver in the cab and take the party up to the apartment. *
*The human was low on anecdotes and was just fuzzy enough that they werent coming as quick as he would have liked. The point was Austin was a dirty slut, but he was always ok somehow and Zack wished he knew the reason. He so much as look at an eligible guy and they ran away. Granted, it was probably the notion of human on fur; the idea wasn't knew but wasn't the most common of partnering. Still he wished he could at least grab someone on the freakier side without them being an old fart. *
*Before the human could even process all the forces working against him, Austin was waving at him from a distance, the large mitts of the pierced and burly stallion guiding him to the door. Zack idly waved back with a weak grin. It was getting late. Or early, whichever made it sound worse. He didn;t work in the morning, but he had come to the realization some time ago he was somehow at the age of 27 getting old. Sure gay years ran fast, but still, he didnt think he was past the club scene! At least not until he found someone right? *
*Wrong. He was past it. So over it that he was getting frequent flier miles towards his retirement. With a sigh he downed the last of his drink and went to head towards the exit when a paw caught his wrist. It was gentle but firm, and in the midst of all the people Zack kept pulling, thinking it was just regular club contact until he was tugged back towards the bar stool he spent most nights at club Echo. *
*"Hey." the human heard before he could fully process the situation. He hoped for a moment he hadn't forgotten to pay for his drinks. *
*"Sorry." he apologized on instinct, other hand going for his wallet but stopping. It was not the little muscle boy otter bar-tending, but a tall, built looking rottweiler. "Umm, do I owe Conner money?" he addressed who he assumed to be a bouncer. The man certainly had the body and look for it. *
*"Who?" the black and drown dog asked, taking his paw back now that Zack was staying on his own. *
"Conner." the human clarified, pointing. "Did I not pay?"
The dog looked taken aback. "I don't know. Do you have a history of dining and dashing? You know minus the food?"
*"No no no! I just...umm, do you not..." Zack finally gave the Rottweiler a once over. He was wearing a pair of dark denim jeans and an open front short sleeve button down with a plain white tee underneath. Definitely not sports coat wearing bouncers or any of Club Echo's staff. *
*"I thought you worked here." Zack answered honestly. *
The dog grinned a toothy grin. "Were you planning on having a history of dining and dashing?"
*The human blushed, "Sorry," he stammered, embarrassed a bit. Had it been so long since his last pick-up that he forgot how it went? That was just sad. "I'm Zack." he held out a hand. *
*To shake. *
With the guy who was....maybe hitting on him?
*Either way it was a lame move. *
The canine just grinned again though and shook it with his own large paw. His pads and fur were soft, and his grip was firm. "Ed."